What is it people fail to understand about Chinese Democracy?

[ppbebe]

Axl chooses not to play the game now...for whatever reason...who truly knows....but not because everyone else does it.

I somehow remember you saying you like him as he is now better than what he used to be in the old days.

[younggunner]

I somehow remember you saying you like him as he is now better than what he used to be in the old days

please elaborate

[Bodhi]

What are your theories as to why this has happened?

I saw you compare the way Green Day's album was received with GNR's..well lets look at what happened..and I will ignore the fact that Green Day has been an active band for the past 17 years and in the public eye when GNR hasnt...

this is what Green Day has done to promote their record(im not counting like advertising or anything like that..just looking at what the two bands have done)

1.Rolling Stone cover and interview
2.The Tonight Show with Conan OBrien
3."Secret" fan club shows for fans where they played the album in its entirety.
4.Album signing at best buy in NYC the day the album came out for 500 fans.
5. The Late Show with David Letterman
6. 5 straight nights on Carson Daly's show
7.Several magazine covers and interviews including AP and other widely read magazines.
8. A FREE concert in Central Park in NYC for the "Good Morning America" concert series attended by thousands and seen by millions.
9.Music videos, including live performance promo videos on Myspace and other networking sites.
10. Booked a world tour,with actual dates, that will actually happen.
11.A whole new line of merchandise at Hot Topic and other similar stores.
12. A coinciding release of their "Bullet in a Bible" Dvd on Blu-ray
13 Contributed a new single to the new "Transformers" movie.
14. Performances and interviews on SEVERAL radio stations across America.
15. Played a show in a PC Richards electronic store in Manhattan

ok thats the TOP 15 things they have done, if you go to Greenday.com and check the archive, you will see far more things than I can possibly list...

now lets see what GNR has done

1. Axl interview with Billboard magazine, and Del James.
2. Axl talking to us on the message board, which was awesome as hell, but is also preaching the choir when it comes to promotion.  It is safe to say ALL of us have already bought the album
3. Announce plans for a Summer tour that doesnt happen..


Is it really a mystery why Green Day's album has gotten so much more attention?  Are you guys serious?  I would stop being so concerned about how the album is received by douchebag writers and critics, and just enjoy the phenomenal record that Guns N Roses gave us...thats what im doing.

[younggunner]

Is it really a mystery why Green Day's album has gotten so much more attention?  Are you guys serious?

The question really is Are you serious? If Axl did all that he would be a sell out/prostitute. He does things on his terms.
 Plus Green Day was fortunate enough to have all their pieces fall into place.

[-Rob-]

The majority of the complaints that I've heard had to do with the music sounding nothing like GNR.

It's a fair complaint, I suppose. I can see where some fans might love classics like  'Paradise', 'SCOM', and 'Jungle', but not think 'Shackler', 'Chinese', and 'TIL' are all that. It's a completely different beast than any of the previously released gunner albums.

So, while some may try to twist this into a fan not being "open minded", I can personally see where someone is coming from when they say that a big part of what made the band so appealing to them to begin with is no longer present today.

[AtariLegend]

I personally think "There Was A Time", "This I Love" and "Better" are as good as anything the previous line-ups recorded.

[younggunner]

The majority of the complaints that I've heard had to do with the music sounding nothing like GNR.

It's a fair complaint, I suppose. I can see where some fans might love classics like  'Paradise', 'SCOM', and 'Jungle', but not think 'Shackler', 'Chinese', and 'TIL' are all that. It's a completely different beast than any of the previously released gunner albums.

So, while some may try to twist this into a fan not being "open minded", I can personally see where someone is coming from when they say that a big part of what made the band so appealing to them to begin with is no longer present today.

And that is why Axl is great. And that is the real reason why hes NOT a SELLOUT. Musically hes going to make what he wants to make

Your right in that the general public is not receptive to the music because it doesnt sound like old gnr and or doesnt have slash.

Where some of that can be shifted in Axls favor is if he fought for the album when it was released. Videos, press, tv appearances, etc. and not so much dwelling on the past but moving foward

[Limulus]

Beta should kick his ass into promotion  

seriously.....most of the Green Day promotion stuff are things i dont think Axl really feels up to do.
let it be part of coolness, art, whatever........it takes him ages to actually finish something and after it it appears he needs ages to recover from that.

[Bodhi]

Is it really a mystery why Green Day's album has gotten so much more attention?  Are you guys serious?

The question really is Are you serious? If Axl did all that he would be a sell out/prostitute. He does things on his terms.
 Plus Green Day was fortunate enough to have all their pieces fall into place.

Pieces fall into place? Still not sure what the fuck that means.  And I understand Axl does things on his own terms and thats why I love the band..I was SIMPLY EXPLAINING WHY Green Day got so much more attention for their last record, because a few of you seem to not understand how that happened.  Also I am not the one bitching about how GNR's album was received...i could care less how many copies it sold.  This thead asks a question, and I gave an answer.

[younggunner]

And I understand Axl does things on his own terms and thats why I love the band..I was SIMPLY EXPLAINING WHY Green Day got so much more attention for their last record, because a few of you seem to not understand how that happened.

Green Day whored themselves out to sell a few copies big deal

[ppbebe]

I somehow remember you saying you like him as he is now better than what he used to be in the old days

please elaborate

think it was 2004? after axl's zep party appearance. check your old posts.

[younggunner]

think it was 2004? after axl's zep party appearance. check your old posts.

not sure how it relates to this conversation. but I am honored that something I said in 2004 is still in your memory.

[oldgunsfan]

Is it really a mystery why Green Day's album has gotten so much more attention?  Are you guys serious?

The question really is Are you serious? If Axl did all that he would be a sell out/prostitute. He does things on his terms.
 Plus Green Day was fortunate enough to have all their pieces fall into place.

the question is, is doing promotion for an album selling out or showing appreciation to your fans? I mean, would you buy an album even if the band wasn't there to sign it?  personally i see signings, appearances, radio interviews as ways to more or less connect with your fans, more so than just whoring out/selling your product.  like someone said, years ago axl had no problem doing all these things.  only after the old band left did any form of promotion, interviews, appearances and the like become whoring out and prostituting Axl.  IMO, that strikes me as being extremely hypocritical.

[jarmo]

BS. He played the same "game" back in the day. Enough with he does things on his own terms. That is the most overated/over used comment around here.

You're stuck in the "he did things in the past" mode aren't you?


Everybody else seems to realize that 2009 isn't the same as 1989. But not you.


Today musicians go on reality shows to sell records, they do all kinds of things that were unheard of in 1989. Or even 1999.

Records sell less and less by the year.

Yet here you are talking about things like it was 1989.



So, wrong! Axl does things on his terms instead of doing everything that other musicians are doing.

Maybe you're too blind to realize that.


Before you go on with the "he played the game in the past" shit, you might wanna remember that GN'R has always done things on their terms. That's what you hate about them! You can't get what you want and it kills you!





As a little side note, it's very telling of the online communities that a person (Trent Reznor), who decided to play the "communicate with my fans" game, decided to stop because of all the idiots spreading hate.

The reasons he had were very similar to why I don't consider everyone posting on GN'R fan forums as "GN'R fans". Seems like it's not only GN'R fans who think artists stay the same way they were when they were 20 or 25.




/jarmo

[Silverchair]

I love the album... but it isn't timeless. This isn't an album that transcends time. The release took way too long and garnished music that isn't necessarily reflecting of the times. Back when GNR ruled the world they were different but revolutionary.

Revolutionary isn't what CD is. Radiohead, MUSE, and Kings of Leon and other acts like that are what people are considering revolutionary. This is 2009, not 1991. A lot has changed. Lack of promo is also a big reason why it hasn't been as huge as one would've liked.

Lack of touring, music videos, merchadising, and appearances.

It's sad because I love the album... but I can understand why others don't. Many of my friends that are die-hard GNR fans also don't like it... I can't blame them.

This really is not a classic GNR album. Besides the name... nothing is the same.

[jarmo]

This really is not a classic GNR album. Besides the name... nothing is the same.

That's exactly what makes it a classic GN'R album. It's not AFD or UYI.


By the way, some things are the same.





/jarmo

[younggunner]

Today musicians go on reality shows to sell records, they do all kinds of things that were unheard of in 1989. Or even 1999.

Who is asking Axl to go on reality shows to promote CD?

Axl does things on his terms instead of doing everything that other musicians are doing.

1.Rolling Stone cover and interview
2.The Tonight Show with Conan OBrien
3."Secret" fan club shows for fans where they played the album in its entirety.
4.Album signing at best buy in NYC the day the album came out for 500 fans.
5. The Late Show with David Letterman
6. 5 straight nights on Carson Daly's show
7.Several magazine covers and interviews including AP and other widely read magazines.
8. A FREE concert in Central Park in NYC for the "Good Morning America" concert series attended by thousands and seen by millions.
9.Music videos, including live performance promo videos on Myspace and other networking sites.
10. Booked a world tour,with actual dates, that will actually happen.
11.A whole new line of merchandise at Hot Topic and other similar stores.
12. A coinciding release of their "Bullet in a Bible" Dvd on Blu-ray
13 Contributed a new single to the new "Transformers" movie.
14. Performances and interviews on SEVERAL radio stations across America.
15. Played a show in a PC Richards electronic store in Manhattan


That is how you promote an album. I dont see any whoring there. Metallica, ACDC, and other ROCK bands promote their albums in a similar fashion

 Please stop comparing Axl to teeny bop acts and washed up 80's rock bands. Because that is what your doing when you say Axl is bigger than reality tv.

no shit sherlock. but you are blind to realize that no1 here is asking him to do that stuff.

Axl is no different than any other celebrity in that they do what they want to do. again stop with the integrity trip.

Before you go on with the "he played the game in the past" shit, you might wanna remember that GN'R has always done things on their terms. That's what you hate about them! You can't get what you want and it kills you!

I and many others just want them to do what Axl has done in the past.

And if Axl doesnt want to do videos, tour, press, etc..Come out and say it. Say at this point in my career I am content with my lifestyle etc. Ill jut be making music periodically.
not that hard

Face the facts, Axl doesnt know what he wants. Hes fired his mgnr multiple times over the past few months. As he has in the past. Clear signs of miscommunication and indecision

the question is, is doing promotion for an album selling out or showing appreciation to your fans? I mean, would you buy an album even if the band wasn't there to sign it?  personally i see signings, appearances, radio interviews as ways to more or less connect with your fans, more so than just whoring out/selling your product.  like someone said, years ago axl had no problem doing all these things.  only after the old band left did any form of promotion, interviews, appearances and the like become whoring out and prostituting Axl.  IMO, that strikes me as being extremely hypocritical.

thank you

[ppbebe]

think it was 2004? after axl's zep party appearance. check your old posts.

not sure how it relates to this conversation. but I am honored that something I said in 2004 is still in your memory.

Just too funny that your keep contradicting your old self.
not sure how 'this conversation' you're refereeing to relates to the topic.

[gilld1]

I am not a fan of CD as many here are

And yet you hang around for some weird reason....

Axl can sit around and blame Slash, the record label, Azoff, or whoever but it all comes back on him.  He did this to himself.

He doesn't play the game like everybody else, does things on his own terms.


A lot of artists do stuff and think "why do I have to do this shit?" just to sell more albums.




/jarmo

You're right.  He doesn't play the promo game, tour game, singles game, etc.  But he sure as hell plays the blame game.  His online stuff and Del james interview were full of quotes blaming someone else.  Slash, BH, Seymour, Everly, Merk, Azoff, you name the name and Axl will cast the blame.

As much as I hate to say this, but with the response or nonresponse to CD may cause Axl to throw in the towel.  Could CD be his swan song?

[younggunner]

Just too funny that your keep contradicting your old self.

provide the context of the covo your talking about before telling me im contradicting myself

not sure how 'this conversation' you're refereeing to relates to the topic.

very simple...
title of thread is asking why CD hasnt caught on

Im suggesting, as well as others, that it takes more than releasing an album to be successful with the general public.